Positive crankcase ventilation “PCV” valves are widely used to control the flow of crankcase gases in internal combustion engines of various vehicles, such as automobiles. During operation of internal combustion engines, a portion of the combustion gases within each cylinder can flow past the respective piston rings into the engine crankcase located below the pistons. These “blowby” combustion gases can be vented to avoid an undesirable increase in pressure inside the engine. A PCV valve and associated flow passages and conduits can route the unburned “blowby” gases from each cylinder into an air intake manifold and back into the combustion chambers of the cylinders where the gases can be reburned. Accordingly, in this manner PCV valves also function as emission control devices.
During certain operating conditions, ice can accumulate within the PCV valve, the associated flow passages and conduits, or other portions of the air intake system of the engine. As the operating conditions change, the accumulated ice can melt, causing water to be introduced into the combustion chambers of one or more cylinders. This can subsequently cause the engine to misfire.